Dhaka Subway: Construction Work to Start in March Next Year

Construction work for the first underground railway of the MRT-1 project in Dhaka is set to begin in March 2022.

The length of the underground subway section of the project from Dhaka Airport Railway Station to Kamalapur Railway Station would be 19.87 km and the length of the flyover from Kamalapur to Purbachal would be 11.38 km. The passenger transportation of the railway would be started in 2026.

M. A. N. Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), said this at an online meeting on Thursday (June 18).

He said 25 trains would be procured for the project. Each train will have 6 coaches. Each train can carry 3,088 passengers. It will be possible to transport 8 lakh passengers every day through the entire railway. The construction cost of the railway is Tk 52,561 crore.

M.A.N. Siddique further said the project depot will be built first. Construction of ancillary railways, stations and ancillary infrastructure will begin in phases. The MRT-1 project will be implemented through 12 packages.

Tenders have been bid for the development of depot land and construction of ancillary infrastructure under the first package. The tender process will be completed by next September. It will be possible to start work on the depot at Pitalganj in Rupganj within six months.